Summary Abstract: The pelagic community of the Ross Sea consists of a permanent component (=holoplankton) and a temporary component which is primarily made up from the larval stages of benthic marine invertebrates and fish (= the meroplankton). The distribution and abundance pattern of the meroplankton in the Ross Sea was investigated. A combined morphological and molecular approach was used to identify the common larval "types" collected from sites in the Ross Sea along the Victoria Land coast including McMurdo Sound, Granite Harbour, Gerlache Inlet (Terra Nova Bay), and Cape Hallett. Daily samples (where possible) of meroplankton larva were collected in early summer (Nov/Dec) using a 100 micron collapsible plankton net. Plankton samples were sorted fresh, the larvae were quantified and specimens were photographed and preserved for DNA sequence analysis and morphological description. One plankton sample from each site was preserved in a formalin based Steedman's fix and taken to the University of Auckland as a reference samples. A filter bag from the seawater intake to the RO-plant at Scott Base was also analysed. Adult marine invertebrate samples were received from other events sampling efforts and used to form the beginnings of an adult invertebrate database by comparing larval gene sequences with adult sequences. The questions the project specifically addresses are: 1) Is there a latitudinal gradient in meroplankton biodiversity and abundance along the Victoria Land Coast?, and 2) using molecular sequencing, can we quantify the distribution and abundance of common marine invertebrate larvae for a better understanding of the functioning of marine benthic communities in the Ross Sea?

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Geographic Coverage

N: -77.85

S: -77.85

E: 166.6333

W: 166.6333

Min Depth: 0

Max Depth: 62

N: -72.3472

S: -72.3472

E: 170.1833

W: 170.1833

Min Depth: 0

Max Depth: >100

N: -74.6333

S: -74.6333

E: 164.2

W: 164.2

Min Depth: 0

Max Depth: 50

N: -77.0121

S: -77.0121

E: 162.8841

W: 162.8841

Min Depth: 0

Max Depth: 50

N: -77.0156

S: -77.0156

E: 162.8858

W: 162.8858

Min Depth: 0

Max Depth: 50

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 2002-11-21

Stop Date: 2002-12-14

Start Date: 2003-11-22

Stop Date: 2003-12-13

Start Date: 2004-11-14

Stop Date: 2004-12-05

Start Date: 2006-11-13

Stop Date: 2006-12-06

Start Date: 2007-11-14

Stop Date: 2007-12-06

Start Date: 2008-11-17

Stop Date: 2008-12-06

Start Date: 2009-11-17

Stop Date: 2009-12-01

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > Terra Nova Bay CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > CAPE HALLETT CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > GRANITE HARBOUR CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > Gerlache Inlet GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN > ROSS SEA

Science Keywords

BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION >ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES >FISH    [Definition]

BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION >ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS >PLANKTON >ZOOPLANKTON    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS >BENTHIC HABITAT    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS >PELAGIC HABITAT    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS >MARINE HABITAT    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS >COMMUNITY DYNAMICS >BIODIVERSITY FUNCTIONS    [Definition]

BIOSPHERE >ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS >COMMUNITY DYNAMICS >COMMUNITY STRUCTURE    [Definition]

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

Instrument

PLANKTON NETS    [Information]

Project

LGP >Latitudinal Gradient Project    [Information]

IPY >INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR    [Information]

CAML >CENSUS OF ANTARCTIC MARINE LIFE    [Information]

COML >CENSUS OF MARINE LIFE    [Information]

EBA >Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic    [Information]

Keywords

MEROPLANKTON

HOLOPLANKTON

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

Antarctica New Zealand, New Zealand Antarctic Institute, New Zealand    [Information] Data Center URL: http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/ Data Center Personnel Name: SHULAMIT GORDON Phone: +64 3 358 0200 Fax: +64 3 358 0211 Email: s.gordon at antarcticanz.govt.nz Contact Address: Antarctica New Zealand Private Bag 4745 City: Christchurch Country: New Zealand

Personnel

MARY SEWELL Role: INVESTIGATOR Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext. 83758 Fax: +64 9 373 7417 Email: m.sewell at auckland.ac.nz Contact Address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 City: Auckland Postal Code: 92019 Country: NEW ZEALAND

SHULAMIT GORDON Role: DIF AUTHOR Phone: +64 3 358 0200 Fax: +64 3 358 0211 Email: s.gordon at antarcticanz.govt.nz Contact Address: Antarctica New Zealand Private Bag 4745 City: Christchurch Country: New Zealand

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2005-09-22 Last DIF Revision Date: 2010-09-20

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